Sloooow times

Is this really the end of May? Where are all the birds? I've seen 2 Swifts so far this year! VERY quiet at the migrant watch points. Even scarce birds like Wryneck and Red-backed Shrike are absent. Obviously the weather systems play a major part but even so it's a strange one.

The 24th of May is one of my key days in the Birding calendar. Lets hope I'm right this year!

Spent an hour down at the Canal Bank again this morning. I didn't try for the Golden Oriole on Beacon lane although it was seen (typically) briefly around 8. It was 11 before I made it down. In my defence I was on the last bus.

A Tufted Duck on the scrape was notable...

The Cuckoo was still around and I'd heard it calling from various locations.Then as on previous days it flew in and landed on the sea buckthorn...

Flight shots were difficult as it kept breaking the speed limit...

Sorry!